Melvyn Berlinsky, whose 40-year
tenure on MUSC's board of trustees
spanned its ascent from a state
university hospital to a leading
national academic health sciences
center, died Nov. 4.

Berlinsky had
been the board's lay
representative from the 1st
Congressional District since 1971.
He was the board's vice chair from
1990 to 1994. He served as a
member of the research committee,
the hospital and patient care
committee, and as chair of the
education, faculty, and student
affairs committee. He also served
as the trustees' representative to
the Hollings Cancer Center board.

Several
university leaders credited
Berlinsky with helping to spur the
institution's rapid growth dating
back to the 1980s.

"When I became
president of MUSC in 1982, Melvyn
was on the board of trustees and
was someone I looked to for
guidance and advice," said
President Emeritus James B.
Edwards, DMD. "In addition to our
professional relationship, he was
a close personal friend as well.
He took great pride in his
affiliation with MUSC, and,
judging by its unprecedented
growth during his tenure on the
board, he did everything within
his power to make it one of the
nation's leading academic medical
centers. "His 40 years as a board
member provided a steadying
influence as we sought to provide
the people of South Carolina a
place where they could not only
receive compassionate, competent
health care, but also a place
where breakthroughs in biomedical
science could become commonplace,"
Edwards said.

Melvyn Berlinsky
and his wife, Joan, at a recent
function.

MUSC President
Ray Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D., said
Berlinsky's devotion to MUSC was
such that he was a constant
presence on campus. "He loved the
institution and attended virtually
every public event, and even
maintained an office on campus so
that he could be close to what was
happening here on a day-to-day
basis," Greenberg said. "He was
known and highly regarded by
faculty, students, and staff
across campus and will be missed
deeply by all. "Melvyn and his
wife, Joan, adopted my wife, Leah,
and me when we arrived in
Charleston," Greenberg added. "His
family always treated us as if we
were part of their own."

Layton McCurdy,
M.D., College of Medicine Dean
Emeritus and Distinguished
University Professor, knew
Berlinsky for 43 years and said he
could always count on his support.
"He was dedicated and always
available to help in difficult
situations," McCurdy said. "I will
always remember his kind and
thoughtful manner."

Retired U.S.
Sen. Ernest F. Hollings, for whom
MUSC's cancer center is named,
said he was one of the finest
civic leaders he has ever known.
"He had such a love for the
medical university. He was always
there troubleshooting any problems
and involved in the development of
a lot of the projects they had
going on."

Melvyn
Berlinsky (third from left) at
the 2008 groundbreaking of the
Clyburn center.

Larry Mohr,
M.D., professor of medicine, said
Berlinsky was an exemplary public
servant, who devoted almost half
of life to transforming MUSC into
the nationally prominent health
sciences institution that it is
today.

"His main focus
was always to improve the lives of
the people who make our university
what it is: students, faculty
members, staff members and
patients. He knew that people were
the heart and soul of our
university and providing them with
an environment to excel was the
most important factor in its
growth"

A devoted
husband, father and grandfather,
Berlinsky also was a wonderful
friend, Mohr added. "He will be
missed, but his memory will live
in my heart forever."

Surviving are
his wife, Joan, his children,
Bruce, Fred and Shelli, and Lee
and Claire; grandchildren, Harris,
Drew, Tyler, Alex, Ryan and
Niki. Berlinsky was born Dec.
9, 1926. Funeral services
were held at Synagogue Emanuel
Cemetery (Maryville), on Nov.
6. In lieu of flowers,
donations may be made to MUSC
Foundation — Melvyn Berlinsky
Fund.

Friday, Nov.
11, 2011

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